Ait Nouri (Don't sell)

[JadeWolf]

I still think he’ll end up playing more as an attacker.

 

[oldgolded]

I still think he’ll end up playing more as an attacker.

Can Hwang play on the right? Maybe a front three of Hwang, Cunha, and Ait Nouri while Neto is out.

 

[Aimless Balls]

Can Hwang play on the right? Maybe a front three of Hwang, Cunha, and Ait Nouri while Neto is out.

He went over there after Pedro went out, no? This could be an option, provided Hugo is fit to play at LWB.

 

[North West Wanderer]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1718322015252172947

Another superb performance from him yesterday such a class player on the ball! I'll say it again why wasn't Lopetegui playing him?!

Not just our best left back by a mile but potentially one of the best in the league for me!

he wasn’t fit enough according to GON and lacked tactical nuances too.
A glaring omission by Senor Crocodile Tears

 

[Matt]

He is really, really good. Huge potential there, particularly now we are playing with wing backs again. I absolutely love the kid, great to watch.

 

[nomadwolf]

Sure I heard GON say post match..."and Rayan keeps going on his Maradona walks/waltz's"

 

[Jefe]

No question O'Neil has improved several players who looked like they were on thin ice at the start of the season.

 

[Aimless Balls]

RAN can play LB, and did a decent job there the past couple seasons, but now that’s he’s back at LWB-LM it’s clear he shines much brighter in that role, he can better express himself.

 

[stever]

If Lopetegui was still our manager, Rayan wouldn't be here. There were genuine issues, which Julen took a very pragmatic approach to, and decided it was best for him to be moved on. Gary took the opposite approach and put an arm around his shoulder and made it clear we as a club believed in him and would support him and this approach has really paid off.

O'Neil has got a lot right since taking over... a lot not obvious to an outsider.

Totally agree with this. What GON has done is being the players together which Lop was not capable of doing.

 

[Lobo de Ouro]

Totally agree with this. What GON has done is being the players together which Lop was not capable of doing.

I wouldn't say he wasn't capable of it.... more not interested in doing so.

 

[wwbug]

In most places of work a manager gets given resources and he has to make the best of them. Thats the markings of good management.
But some football managers think they can demand the resources they want , or they put down tools if not given them, that doesn't necessarily make a good manager .I think Mourinho and Conte got like that. And probably Lopetegui and even Hoddle another .

 

[Werewolf of Wombourne]

Sure I heard GON say post match..."and Rayan keeps going on his Maradona walks/waltz's"

He did. I loved his comments on RAN, it's clear how much he likes him and rates him as a player.

 

[old jacks thumb]

He did. I loved his comments on RAN, it's clear how much he likes him and rates him as a player.

Definitely did. Said RAN is absolutely bonkers but loves working with him.

 

[Wagstaffe Was Magic]

RAN can play LB, and did a decent job there the past couple seasons, but now that’s he’s back at LWB-LM it’s clear he shines much brighter in that role, he can better express himself.

Gareth Bale started as a left back. RAN is that type of player who could blossom if moved further forward and set free….

 

[Bawtry Wolf]

Gareth Bale started as a left back. RAN is that type of player who could blossom if moved further forward and set free….

Didn’t Spurs go about 2 years when Bale arrived from Southampton losing every time he was in the side. Think Redknapp just gave a free role down the left and his career took off. Difference between a young Bale and RAN was that Bale was a crap left back whereas RAN has proved on many occasions he’s actually a very good left back. Marking the likes of Salah out of games. With Toti and Bueno we have some very good options down the left . I’m hopeful about the right as well as Hoever and Lembikisa are getting game time in the Championship which is positive, particularly for the latter as he is quite young.

 

[WolfLing]

If Lopetegui was still our manager, Rayan wouldn't be here. There were genuine issues, which Julen took a very pragmatic approach to, and decided it was best for him to be moved on. Gary took the opposite approach and put an arm around his shoulder and made it clear we as a club believed in him and would support him and this approach has really paid off.

O'Neil has got a lot right since taking over... a lot not obvious to an outsider.

It's why a manager like O'Neill has to be the model going forward. If the young and hungry model is the way we are going, we need a manager to mirror that.

Gary O'Neill can probably relate more to young players with potential, who aren't perfect and who make mistakes, as he is in exactly the same position in his managerial career. A player like Ait Nouri is always going to respond better to the arm around the shoulder approach.

I'd put Lopetegui in the same category as a Mourinho now. They have certain demands that need to be met immediately, often in relation to spending, because they are less interested in the future and more interested in what they are going to achieve now. Very short-term thinking, but it maintains their reputation if nothing else.

That sort of manager is definitely not for us where we are currently. That's not to say it couldn't work. If you combined someone like Mourinho's average 3 year cycle with a spending cycle, he could attract better players and achieve something during that time. But then you're back to selling and a younger coach to get you through the leaner times again. Boom and bust in a way!

 

[Skrilla]

A healthy Neto aside, is he our most exciting player at present? Nothing beats RAN going on a run with a Maradona turn and a nutmeg thrown in. Special talent. He's still only 22!

 

[QB Wolf]

I’ve always been a big RAN fan, he’s entertaining and for me that’s what counts in many ways.

I was also a big JL fan, but really couldn’t work out why he treated RAN the way he did, it all started so well for RAN, his goal at Goodison kicked off the revival, a clash of personalities is my guess.

A happy RAN is another plus of the GON era!!

 

[Mark Rankines Lovechild]

I really like and rate RAN. He actually seems to be very happy playing here at present as demonstrated by his sprint to celebrate the Spurs winner with Jao. I just wish he could finish 90 minutes

 

[FJRWolf]

RAN looked like a real talent when he arrived but didn't quite live up to that for a while
Good to see under GON his fitness has improved loads, a while ago he struggled to last 70 minutes, now he looks much fitter and can do 90.
Think his defensive work has improved. Can be brilliant in an attacking sense but also sometimes trips over the ball. Still improvements to be made but going in the right direction.

 

[Arky_R]

I really like and rate RAN. He actually seems to be very happy playing here at present as demonstrated by his sprint to celebrate the Spurs winner with Jao. I just wish he could finish 90 minutes

He has done only recently mine unless I’m mistaken

 

[Bawtry Wolf]

I really like and rate RAN. He actually seems to be very happy playing here at present as demonstrated by his sprint to celebrate the Spurs winner with Jao. I just wish he could finish 90 minutes

3 months ago he’d have collapsed in a heap in the middle of the pitch with cramp trying that at that time. He’d only been off the pitch for 5 minutes.

 

[wolvesaywe]

Played 90 minutes and still had gas in the tank to run across the pitch from the dugout for the winner

The old RAN would have cramped up before he crossed the white line

 

[Minimalist]

I still think he’ll end up playing more as an attacker.

Not sure why, but I really fancy seeing him play on the right of a front 3. The Neto role.

 

[JadeWolf]

Not sure why, but I really fancy seeing him play on the right of a front 3. The Neto role.

On the left though.

 

[Minimalist]

On the left though.

On the left in a 442.
But I just fancy the idea of him on the right of a 3, Salah esq….

 

[SuperGran]

https://x.com/premierleague/status/1729584887441559665?s=46&t=eQNqcPEqifWJNdlNVEMsPA